Hey everyone !I m trying to create stats about how Cajuns are seen by people anthemselves for my master's thesis, but i haven't had many cajuns replieyet... Could you answer this survey ? ( and try to pass it on ?? )Please, do not take offence if ever, nothing is meant to be mean oanything like that, I just don't phrase sentences very well sometimes.

You can put an X in front of your answer.

Thanks a lot !

ï° State and city where you have spent most of your life : ( this wilhelp me create stats city by city, or state by state.)

* is it : - of other origins- uniquely of other origins- not uniquely of other origins

* is it : - territorial- if yes, which territory- Louisiana- South Louisiana- North Louisiana- Mid Louisiana- on the bayous- specific citiesIf yes, which :- other :- uniquely territorial- not uniquely territorial

Not being a Cajun myself, I won't answer your survey. Having lived inLouisiana for 35 years, I will make a few comments and a suggestion ortwo.

I've been on (and off) of this newsgroup for many years as Darrel anda few other newsgroup old-timers will know. So I can say with a fairamount of accuracy that this newsgroup is mostly dead. Very few peopleever post here. Whether or not there are many readers, however, Icouldn't say. If you're looking for answers to your questions, this isnot likely to garner much results.

Part of the time I lived in Louisiana, I did live in Acadiana(Terrebone Parish). I also worked as a chief cook for many a Cajun onoffshore oil rigs and platforms for about 10 years.

Later, I learned a lot about the history of Louisiana in general aswell as the Cajuns particularly while working as a tour guide.

Cajuns (at least in my understanding) are descendants of French peoplewho once lived in the area known as Acadia (or Acadie) in Canada. Iwon't bore you with the history as you should be able to research thateasily enough anyway.

Basically, however, they were basically kicked out of the area by theBritish unless they were willing to give up their religion and way oflife. They found their way to coastal Louisiana in the south-westernarea of the state.

Some remained pure French; at least for many years. Othersintermarried with native American Indians, Germans, Africans,Americans and other Europeans who'd either settled in the area orlater moved there.

For much of modern history, the Cajuns (for the most part) remained inthe 22 parishes of south-western Louisiana known collectively asAcadiana along with those who lived in south-eastern Texas.

While their language and lifestyle was French-based, it was uniquelyinfluenced by the blend of other people who lived along side andintermarried with them.

After the oil boom of the mid-1900s and the coming of InterstateHighway system, there was more exposure to the American culture (ifyou can call it that - smile). Many more than ever before learnedEnglish; especially those who made their living in the oil field.

Today, most every Cajun (if not all) can speak English though somestill prefer to speak the dialect of French that is unique toLouisiana and Texas Cajuns.

One thing the a Cajun is definitely not is a Creole, though I'm suremany Creoles and Cajuns intermarried. Many will say that Creoles areblack or a mix of black and white which (of course) many of them are.

By true definition, however, Creoles are Louisianans who are a blendof those people who were born anywhere in the "New World" (includingsome in South America), but at least one of their parents came fromEurope.

While Creoles are mostly from the city and mostly from the New Orleansarea, they can be black, white or mixed race. While the Cajuns areprimarily from small-town coastal Louisiana, Creoles are primarilyfrom the New Orleans area.

Their dialects are different. Their musical style is different. Theirfood is different along with their culture and way of life.

Though there are many similarities and intermarriages between the twocultures, they are (more or less) distinctly different.

The differences between Cajuns and Creole are much to vast to discussand/or assimilate overnight and from afar. The only true way to knowis to live in Louisiana and experience it for yourself.

Maybe some Cajuns like Darrel or others I've known (but can't recalltheir names right now) will chime in with more. If not (or even if),here are a few urls (in no particular order or importance) that mightgive you some much-needed insight. They can all be found in a splitsecond using Google. At least, these should get you started.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajun

http://www.cajunculture.com/

http://www.nps.gov/Jela

http://www.acadianmuseum.com/

http://www.acadianmemorial.org/

http://www.acadian-cajun.com/hiscaj1.htm

http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/

The next one is a radio station in Eunice, LA dedicated to Cajunmusic, etc. You can listen live if you'd like.

http://www.kbon.com/

This next one has a lot of good links to discussion groups and othersites primarily devoted to Cajun music, but there are also links tomany other things Cajun and I'm sure some of the musicians in some ofthe discussion groups might be interested in your survey.

http://www.cajunradio.org/cajunjams.html

The next one is Chuck Taggart's web page dedicated to both Creole andCajun culture.

Thanks for your reply R.G.I ve already studied Cajun history, ( it's been three years that i work othe thesis ) and know pretty much everything on history; i m noconcentrating on ethnicity in cookery and how cajuns are viewed and viethemselves. That last part is quite hard cuz no one would answer thsurvey ;-( Well, i have 70 answers so far, but it's not enough to creatstatistics...

Post by R. G.Hi Darrel.I was wondering when you were going to poke your head out.

Got back from Cozumel alittle over a week ago (spent the better part of 2months there sofar this year: Jan, Feb, March and July). Still makingprogress on the airplane restoration. All the completed pieces are at theairport for final painting execept for the fuselage, which just got intothe rotisary this week for priming and rewiring...

Post by SaphyrineHey everyone !I m trying to create stats about how Cajuns are seen by people andthemselves for my master's thesis, but i haven't had many cajunsreplies yet... Could you answer this survey ? ( and try to pass it on?? ) Please, do not take offence if ever, nothing is meant to be meanor anything like that, I just don't phrase sentences very wellsometimes.

Well, as you've been told, this newsgroup (and lately it seems newsgroupsas a whole) is pretty dead. I don't know how many answers besides mineyou'll get here, but here goes...

Post by SaphyrineYou can put an X in front of your answer.Thanks a lot !ï° State and city where you have spent most of your life : ( thiswill help me create stats city by city, or state by state.)

Hometown and majority of my life (for another few years anyway): Larose,LACurrently residing in Ascension parish.38 yr old male

Post by Saphyrine* is it : - of other origins- uniquely of other origins- not uniquely of other origins

it has other influences, but not origins

Post by Saphyrine* is it : - territorial- if yes, which territory- Louisiana- South Louisiana- North Louisiana- Mid Louisiana- on the bayous- specific cities- uniquely territorial- not uniquely territorial

I have a hard time sticking to your specific choices since I think therecould have been a couple more options. Hope it was useful informationanyway.

--Toby"Movies are one of the bad habits that have corrupted our century. ...They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in oneevening than the Dark Ages could muster in a decade." - Ben Hecht